U.S. Travel Association Appoints Bill Hornbuckle as National Chair of its Board of Directors

The U.S. Travel Association has appointed William (Bill) J. Hornbuckle, Chief Executive Officer and President of MGM Resorts International, as National Chair of its board of directors. His appointment to a two-year term was formalized with a membership vote.

“I’m grateful for this honor and excited to be joining U.S. Travel at such an important time. America remains at the forefront of travel and hospitality, and it’s vital that we do all we can to keep our industry and economy thriving. We are entering a period of once-in-a-lifetime events and opportunities unlike anything our country has seen in recent years. I’m proud to join this storied organization and look forward to helping the industry and the country succeed,” Bill Hornbuckle said.

“We are grateful for Bill’s leadership and expertise as U.S. Travel pursues a bold agenda of growth and improvements to the traveler experience. Bill’s prior leadership of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Travel and Tourism Advisory Board provides him a unique understanding of key issues and the levers that need to be pulled to achieve success in Washington,” Geoff Freeman, President and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, said.

Hornbuckle will succeed Chris Nassetta, President and CEO of Hilton, whose term as national chair has concluded.

“We express our sincere thanks to Chris Nassetta for his outstanding leadership and contributions during his tenure as our national chair. Chris shaped and sped our transition into a focused and sophisticated trade association,” Freeman said.

Hornbuckle will work with association leaders to enact industry priorities, including maximizing a mega-decade of events like the 2025 Ryder Cup, 2026 World Cup and 2028 Summer Olympics.